Apparatus for making composite glass



Sept. 20, 1932. SHERTS 1,878,899

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS Filed June 1, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Sept. 20, 1932. J. H. SHERTS APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS FiledJune 1, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' O O O O INV ENTOR Sept. 20, 1932. Y J, H,SHERTS 1,878,899

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPOSITE GLASS Filed June 1, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5j 3. 4 13) J I (O}\ Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q I I a 'l 9 1611i:

Q a a ll: 19 Lil; 54 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q INVENTOR Sept. 20,S T 1,878,899

APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPQSI'I'E GLASS Filed June 1, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATE-S once JAMES H. snnn'rs, F nines,NEW JERSEY, lessrenonro DUPLATE eonPonA- T TION, -A. con'ronmrron orDELAWARE APPARATUS non -MAKI1\TG comrosrrn GLASS 7 Application-511w tim1, 1928. Serial No. 282,105.

a The invention relates to apparatus for making composite glass, whereinheat and pressure are applied to cause a joinde'r be tween the glass andp'yroxylin or celluloid.

Composite glass ordinarily comprises two sheets of glass with a sheetofpyroxylin or equivalent material "cemented therebetvveen,

- although a greater number of sheets may be employed. It is thepractice to assemble the sheets with a coating of cement, such asgelatin,-d-ried upon the surfaces of the glass sheets which are to becemented to the pyroXy-lin, the heat subsequently applied serving tosoften the gelatin and secure adhesion when pressure is applied. Thepresent invention has for its primary objects, the provision of im=proved construction, wherein the period of time for heating andeoolingthe'plat'e's under pressure is reduced; and theprovisionofa 26construction which can be operated economi= cally and with a lowpercentage of breakage incident to the application of relativeiyhightemperatures and pressures to the glass sheets.

. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 are-side elevations taken at right "angles to eachother. Fig; 3 is a section on the iine of Figi 2. Fi

4 is a sectionon the line lvelvo f Fig.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail section. And

Fig. 6 is a erspective view showing a piping diagram 0 "the apparatus.

p In its preferred form, the apparatus 00111 '35 prises a pair ofopposing separable. platens having opposing chambers withfiexibledia-Iphragms constituting their --outer Walls be tween which the-compositesheets to be joined are "placed. After the platens are moved to 4 closedposition, liquid underthedesired pressure is supplied to the chambersand a heating fluid, such as steam, is circulated through the platens toheat them, such platens turn heating the liquid which is under pressurein the chambers. the sheets have .been heated to the requisite degree,the 'supply ofsteam through the platens, is'dis'continued and a howof'cold water substituted to secure the cooling of -the liquid in "thechambers and the sheets between the diaphragms. Theseparation of'theplatens isa matter of convenience in placing the sheets tobe joined inposition and removingthem, but is not asesse nt'ia l. Similarly, the use"of steam for heating the platens is preferred, as a matter of economy,but the invention contemplates the use ofany and all available means forheating the platens. a

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the meta base of the press to which isrigidly secured the six vertical guide posts 2, 2, 2, etc. carrying attheir upper ends the fixed platen 3. Mounted for up and down movementon'the guide posts is the platen This platen is moved up and down bymeanso-f the plunger 5 mounted in a! hydraulic cylinder 6. The supply ofliquid for operating the lifting device is arranged as indicated in 6the V supply pipe 7 being provided with the threeway valve 8 which inthe position shown in 7 Fig. 6 admits fluid under pressure to the lowerend of the cylinder 6 to raise the plunger 5 and in another positionbrings the pipef9 into communication with the pipe lOileading to thedrain 11, the plunger and 13313164 diescending by gravity whenthe valveis brought to this latter position. 4

When the platen 4; is in its upper position, it is locked rigidly suchpositionb-y means of the series of latches 12, 12., 12 se; curedtogether by the links 13,- 13, as indicated in Fig. 3, such latches.when in closed position engaging the recesses v14, 14, .14 in the guideposts (Fig. 1). The'latches may I be swungin both directionsiby means ofthe 85 handles 15, 15 or by means of a plunger in thelcylinder 16 suchplunger being provided at one'end with the operating rodlf? pivoted toone of the handl'es15; The other handle 15 is operated by a rod 170secured in the head of the cylinder 16. The cylinder 16 is supplied withoperatingfluid from the pipe 7 as indicated in Fig. 6, such pipebeingconnected through the valve casing 1 7 with a pair of pipes 18,19leading tothe ends' of thercylinden, cylinderiis free "to move endwisef'for the purpose later set forth. M'ountedjin the casing (176. 'fisaxiom-way valve :20 which "in the position shown j fluid 'tothe' righthandend' of the cylinder I00 and permits it to exhaust from the lefthand,

end through the pipe 21. When the valve occupies the position showninFig. 6, fluid is admitted to the right hand/end of the cylinder andexhausts from the other end so' hand end of the cylinder and exhaustedfrom the right hand end so that the rods 17 and 17 are moved inward,thus opening the latches;

Clamped to the lower side of the platen 3 is a flexible diaphragm 21,preferably of 7 rubber, such diaphragm being spaced away from the faceof the platen to provide the chamber 22. The edgesof the diaphragm arepreferably reinforced with strands of metal or fabric 23, as indicatedin Fig. 5,

' such-edge also being molded into corrugated form, as shown, and beingclamped in place by'means of the metal edge strips 24a; Similarly, thelower platen i is provided with a diaphragm 24 spaced away from thesurface ,of theplaten to providea chamber 25 and secured in positionmeans of the clamping strips 26. Water under pressure issupplied to thechambers 22 and 25 by means of the pipes 27 and 28 connected to the tank29 of Fig. 6,'only one of such pipes being shown in this view. The tank29 is supplied from the tank 30 by means of the pump 31, such pumppreferably having an automatic control governed by the pressure in thetank 29 so that the pump will stop working when the presssure rises to apredetermined point, in the present case about 150 pounds 'per squareinch. The, tank has a pressure gauge 32 and a water gauge 33.Eachchamber is also provided'with an exhaust pipe 34 leading to thevacuum tank 35 (Fig. 6), such tank being exhausted by means of the pump36, which discharged into the tank 30; This providesa means forwithdrawing the liquid from the chambers 22and 25 after the "compositeglass formed inthe presshas been removed therefrom. Each'of the platensis provided with a series of passages 37 connected to the pipes 38 and39 (Fig. 6) and these pipes may be connected either to the water.supplypipe 40 or to the steam supply pipe 41, depending on' .whether ornot the valyes 42 and 43 are opened or closed. This provides a means forfirst heating the platens and the composite glass therebetween duringthe press ing'operation and then cooling such platens and the compositeglass afterthe pressing operation.

The operation is preferably carried: out as, follows Twosheets' of glasswith a sheet of pyroxylin therebetweenare assembled on the diaphragm ofthe lo-wer'platen twhensuch platenis its lowest position, as-'indic'ated the 5 platen l. in operative position.

at which time the latches 12, 12, 12, etc. are

swungv to closed position-to positively lock The valves 4st in thepressure lines 27 and 28 leading'from the tank 29 to the chambers 22 and25 are now opened so that a pressure of about 150 pounds per square inchis placed upon the. sheets ofglass lying between the diaphragms 22 and 2i. Steam isnow admitted through the passages'37 from the pipe 11 and theplatens are rapidlyheated by the Cir-- culation of steam therethroughuntil the glass sheets and pyroxylin are heated to a temperature ofabout 250 degrees F. Thisheatingis accomplishedby reason of the. contactwith the platens3 and 4 with a body of liquid in the chambers22 and 25,such liquid in turn heatingthe diaphragms 22. and24 which lie in contactwith the outer faces of the glass sheets. The heatingof the liquid inthe chambers. 22and 25 is accomplished very quickly because of the veryslight depth ofthe chambers and the small quantity of liquid;containedtherein. After the sheets have attained a temperature of about250 degrees F the valve 43 infthe steam pipe is clos ed and water iscirculated through the passages 37 from. the pipe 40, the valve 42beingopened at this time. In this manner, the platens, the liquid in thechambers 22 and 25, and the sheets of material lying between thediaphragms22 and 24 are cooled to a temperature at which they may beconveniently handled,,pressure. being maintained during thiscoolingoperation in the chambers 22 and 25 as it has been foundnecessary to cool the composite plate under pressurein order to insure aproper union between. thevarious sheets making up the plate." 'After theplate has been cooled, the water is withdrawn fromthe chambers22 and 25by'meansof .the vacuum tank 35 and the latches 12,12,12, etcare-opened.On move, ing the three-way valve 8 (Fig. 6) to exhaust position, thewater in the cylinder 6 flows I to thedrain 11 permitting the platenfltomove' 'back to open position, as shown in F f a 2..

' 1. Apparatus for applying heatandpressure to a plurality of sheets tobe joined to gether, comprising a pair of opposing separableplatenshaving passages therethrough and'provided on their front-sides withchambers. facing ,each ,other, a flexible diaphragm seatedacrossthe openfaceof each chamber constituting alfclosure thereforp means forsupplying liquid under pressure to the chamrs, and means for supplying aheating fluid to said passages to heat the platens so that they will inturn heat the liquid in said chambers. 1

2. Apparatus for applying heat and pressure to a plurality of sheets tobe joined together comprising a pair of separable platens havingpassages therethro-ugh and each carrying on its outer side a chamberhaving a flexible outer Wall, means for supplying liquid under pressureto the chambers, and means for supplying a heating fluid to saidpassages to heat the platens so that they will in turn heat the liquidin said chambers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th dayof May, 1928.

JAMES H. SHEETS.

